Denver Nuggets & NBA

Beetdiggers bounce back

Pick up win over Denver Science and Tech in win consolation semifinals

By Jonathan Seib

Times sports writer

Posted:
03/14/2014 04:00:09 PM MDT

Kyle Rosenbrock puts up a free throw. The Beetdiggers had 20 points from the line in the win over the Denver Science and Tech Knights in the 3A consolation semifinals on Friday. (Jonathan Seib / Fort Morgan Times)

AIR FORCE ACADEMY - The Brush Beetdiggers lived to fight one more day. The team got hold of the lead late and held on through the end to get the win on Friday and a spot in the consolation finals on Saturday.

The Beetdiggers beat the Denver Science and Tech Knights 76-68 on Friday morning at the Air Force Academy Athletic Center.

"It was a win. I'm not sure it was a lot better. But the match-up was a little better for us today," said coach Ken Garcia.

While the game got off to a slow, and lurching, start due to some early fouls and a tightly called game by the refs, Coach Garcia credited the slow start to a "feeling out process" by the teams.

Randy Baker passes out of trouble in the Beetdiggers win on Friday in the 3A semifinals. Brush took a team approach to the win. (Jonathan Seib / Fort Morgan Times)

"Everybody was running up and down the court. They are a very athletic team and we tried to match that and I think that got us in trouble a little bit," said Garcia.

The coach would then encourage his team to get back to "their" game.

"I kept telling them slow it down. We are more of a perfectionist team than a just a straight up ballin' team. That got us in trouble a little bit but we were able to recover from that and play our game, so I was pleased with that," said Garcia.

The Beetdiggers got behind 5-0 early in the first quarter and trailed for most of it. Down 19-15, the team went on a 7-2 run that took them to the end of the quarter and gave them a 22-21 lead headed to the second.

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In that quarter, the Beetdiggers would go on a 10-run, started by a three from Austin Garcia, to get a 12-point lead. They would then go quiet for almost three minutes as the Knights rallied back within four. The teams would mostly trade points for the remaining three minutes of the half, with the Knights getting just a little bit better end of it. Brush led by one-point headed in the half thanks to a jumper by Ben Mickey with 30 seconds left.

Geoffrey Dunker scores under pressure in the Brush Beetdiggers win over Denver Science and Tech on Friday morning at the Air Force Academy. (Jonathan Seib / Fort Morgan Times)

In the third quarter, the teams would trade the lead six times, but late threes from Bryce Needens and Randy Baker, plus a layup by Jake Brown would give Brush a five-point lead headed into the final quarter.

"We did some trapping and that got us some turnovers. And with their press, they left the middle open a little bit and we were able to exploit that and that got us some fast breaks. It was good execution by our kids," said Garcia.

Brush had three players in double-digits in the game. Baker led the team with 18 points, Rosenbrock had 11 and Geoffrey Dunker also scored 11. Most of Dunker's points came in the third quarter, helping Brush get the lead and the momentum they needed for the second half. Bryce Needens would score eight and Mickey and Brown would each have six.

Nathaniel Cox led the Knights with 18. Dwight Pullen and Deron Harrell each scored 15.

Brush would hold the lead through the entirety of the final quarter. Denver Science would have to foul to try and keep the clock in check. Brush would finish the final quarter with 16 chances at the free throw line, burying 10 of them. Baker was a perfect four-for-four in the quarter.

"We did ok. We let a few go and the game wouldn't have been as close. But we did enough to stretch that lead and keep them in check," said coach Garcia.

While the Beetdiggers are not quite in the position they wanted to be in headed to the final day of the season, coach Garcia said that he is excited to see his team playing in the final day.

"I keep telling the kids, not a lot of people get to play the final game of the season. In our classification only six teams get to do that. It might not be in the position we wanted to. But it is still the final day. And that is a credit to our kids and how hard that they worked all season," said Garcia.

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